Detentions
by airuhkuh
Summary: Hermione Granger, perfect Prefect and all around goody two shoes, had detention. Blaise Zabini, best Potions student in all of Hogwarts and in Slytherin, was given detention as well. And why exactly do they insist on making them heated snog sessions? BHr
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** We shall say that this is AU, since I want Snape and Dumbledore to be here and Voldemort shall be, for the sake of being able to concentrate more on Blaise and Hermione, dead. Standard disclaimer does apply.

* * *

**Detentions**

In Which Hermione is Ravished in the Potions Classroom

The school was abuzz with startling news. Hermione Granger, perfect Prefect and all around goody two shoes, had detention.

The fact that Snape had done his usual greasy evil and doled out the unfair punishment was the only thing that assured the student body that the apocalypse was not right around the corner.

But when they heard the second bit of news, everyone immediately assumed Hell had frozen over and the Dark Lord would soon adopt Harry Potter.

Blaise Zabini, best Potions student in all of Hogwarts and in Slytherin, was given detention as well.

Snape had given detention to one of his own students.

And Hermione Granger was furious.

"That—that bastard!" she seethed, throwing down her bag and sitting down hard in the nearest chair. Harry, Ginny, and Ron looked up, startled at her using such language.

"C'mon Hermione, detentions not so bad," Ron said, attempting to cheer her up. "Well, yeah, it is with Snape. And yeah, you have it with a slimy Slytherin. And yeah, you'll probably have to scrub the dungeons without magic 'til your arm falls off..." Ginny glared at him, and he wisely shut up, returning to his chess game with Harry.

"It's not detention," Hermione explained. "It's that stupid idiot Zabini." She groaned and rested her forehead on her hands.

"What'd he do?" Harry asked curiously. Hermione ran her hand through her bushy hair and looked at him to see he had a very suspicious look on his face mixed with a hint of anger.

"Snape's had us working on making a variation of a potion for months now, and I finally made a breakthrough. Then that idiot decides that a dungbomb would be a nice addition to my potion!" she exclaimed, not moving her head. Ron had a look on his face that bordered on amusement. Ginny noticed and quickly comforted her friend.

"No worries, Hermione. You're the most organized person I know, and I'm sure you have such thorough notes that it won't be too hard to restart." The words pacified the Prefect and she dug a folder of parchment out of her overstuffed bag with renewed determination and vigor.

"I'm going to go the library before detention. I'll see you guys later," she said, getting up to leave.

"Oi, don't kill Zabini tonight," Ron warned. "Snape doesn't like death threats against Slytherins." Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's parting words and climbed out of the portrait hole.

* * *

"You're late, Granger," Snape scolded as Hermione slipped into the dungeons. She scowled and checked her watch; she still had a minute to spare. Wisely, she kept her mouth shut, merely thankful that Snape had not decided to deduct more points on the matter.

Zabini sauntered through the door five minutes later, just polishing off the last bit of a cupcake. Hermione ground her teeth in anger when Snape didn't say a word at his late appearance.

"Thirty cauldrons." Snape pointed a long finger at some of the grimiest cauldrons Hermione had ever seen. "Scrub them. No magic. I'll check in on you in an hour." He gave Hermione one of his glares reserved for especially annoying Gryffindors and swept out of the room with his robes billowing.

"Fifteen to you, fifteen to me?" Hermione suggested, ever the organized, planning one. Zabini shrugged, which she took as agreement. She picked up her bucket of soap and brush and made her way to the imposing pile. She had just dipped in her brush when Zabini pulled out his wand and muttered scourgify.

"Snape said no magic," she accused him. Zabini shrugged indifferently and pulled out another cupcake.

"Snape's not here. How's he to know?" Hermione frowned. He did have a good point, but she was a stickler for rules and Snape had said no magic. She picked up her brush again.

"Would you like me to do yours, Gryff?" Zabini asked casually, all his attention focused on unwrapping the cupcake. "I mean, if you don't know the spell, I understand..." Hermione narrowed her eyes at his insinuation.

"Of course I know the spell," she snapped, snatching up her wand.

"Really? 'Cos you're still standing there." Hermione chewed on her lip and gave the dungeon a quick once over before whispering timidly the cleaning charm.

"See? Easy," Zabini said matter of factly.

"I suppose. But now what are we supposed to do until Snape comes back?" she mused. The Slytherin took his eyes off his cupcake to raise an eyebrow at Hermione.

"Surely you can amuse yourself for two hours, Gryff." There was something in his voice that made Hermione want to prove that very much. She looked at him disdainfully and yanked the shrunken book _Hogwarts, A History_ out of her robe pocket. After a quick enlarging charm, she stuck her nose in the worn book.

When she read a sentence three times over, she knew she couldn't concentrate. Only Zabini could make eating a cupcake so...erotic. She peered over the top of her book, staring through her bangs.

His tongue flicked out gracefully and swiped up the green icing, causing Hermione's mind to wander to other things he could use his tongue for, and she felt her cheeks heat. He daintily licked off any crumbs from his lips with that tongue, leaving his lips glistening. His very kissable lips. She nearly jumped at the thought, and hurriedly directed her eyes back to a paragraph about the Astronomy Tower, which didn't help her much.

"See something you like?" a voice growled sensually in her ear. Hermione gave a yelp and turned to see Zabini's mocha-colored face only centimeters from his. Her eyes were drawn to his lips, which then curved into a cocky smirk.

"Apparently so," he teased. Hermione blushed.

"I do—I wasn't..." But those lips distracted her from defending herself. She tore her eyes away to find where she had thrown her book in surprise, but soon she found that annoying cupcake in her line of vision. There was still some icing innocently waiting on it. She swallowed, finding herself unable to watch as Zabini tantalizingly drew the cupcake up to his lips and bit into the rich chocolate.

"You've, ah, got some icing, er..." Hermione stammered out, her voice several notches higher than usual.

"Oh I do?" Zabini feigned surprise. "I don't have a mirror. Perhaps you could get it off for me?" He smiled suggestively, which was not diminished in the slightest by the icing coating his lips. Hermione gave a small _eep_ and blushed miraculously.

Zabini quirked an eyebrow and made short work of licking his lips. "Bloody hell, I thought you Gryffs were brave." He shook his head. In the face of an insult, Hermione found her voice again and managed to stop thinking such sexual thoughts.

"And just what's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

"Nothing," Zabini replied casually. "It's just, most girls would have jumped at the chance to lick icing off me." Hermione frowned. The man was just so annoyingly cocky!

"I'll have you know I'm not most girls," she said haughtily.

"Indeed," Zabini agreed, eying her with an expression that made Hermione distinctly uncomfortable for some reason. She fumbled with her robe clasp a bit before hopping up on a desk to get more comfortable. Zabini copied her pose, his feet still sitting on the ground, and he seemed to be lounging. Hermione found herself very aware that her feet swung in the air and her hands were primly folded in her lap. She tried to surreptitiously slouch and find a place for her hands.

Zabini noticed and chuckled quietly, effectively annoying Hermione. There was a silence she just couldn't bear, as it left her with nothing to do but stare at Zabini. He was beyond handsome, he was sexy and beautiful, and as masculine as can be. His face was angular with fine features, and his muscular physique showed through his clothes. Curly black locks fell in a perfectly tousled way, framing his liquid sapphire eyes so dark it was hard to say they weren't black. Hermione found herself unable to look away. They were entrancing and seemed to catch her breath every time she saw them.

He noticed her eyes roaming over him, unfortunately as this elicited yet another cocky smirk.

"Why'd you put that dungbomb in my potion?" she questioned, glaring at him. The glare had little outward affect, so she settled for crossing her arms.

"I...was bored," he explained. But Hermione distinctly heard the way he said it, as if there was something else to add.

"I've been working on that potion for weeks."

"True," Blaise (_No! Zabini._) agreed. "It was wrong though. So, perhaps I did you a favor, because I have no doubt that right after we get out of here you'll run back to your notes to check them over and find you did make a mistake. Then you'll insist that I was only bluffing, guessing, to give an excuse." He looked at her smugly, and Hermione had to force herself to look like what he said was not completely true.

"Hermione..." he said, shaking his head with a smile.

"Excuse me? I do believe that's Granger to you."

Zabini shrugged. "Fine. Hermione is such a nice name though. Can I call you Lioness instead? I find it a rather endearing pet name. Fitting too," he added as he saw her vicious glare.

"I'm a Gryffindor, Zabini," she reminded him sternly. "We cannot have pet names, or like each other."

"My, my, my. When did I say anything about liking you, Lioness?" He paused, looking thoughtful. "I don't believe I did. Which means, you must have been thinking about it." He smiled and tilted his head at her. "So you like me, little Lioness? You find me irresistibly attractive?" He pushed off the desk while speaking and slowly prowled towards her. Her eyes were caught in the predatory gaze of his, lost in his eyes which had turned nearly black in his desire. Every motion screamed sexy, and Hermione licked her lips in unconscious anticipation.

He placed his hands on each side of her and leaned forward so his face was nearly touching hers. She hadn't moved. She couldn't. Her breathing was heavy and her lips were wet from her nervous licking and parted.

Blaise lifted a hand towards her face and traced her features, his ebony eyes following the movements of his hand. Every touch sent shivers down her spine. That liquid sapphire gaze seemed to have frozen her to the spot. His fingers skipped along her hairline and traced the curve of her ear down along her jawline and up to her lips. The sensation of his warm, chocolate breath on her face and his gentle fingers was unbelievable.

Then he kissed her.

And boy, was it a kiss.

His lips meet her with an urgent need, pressing against each other forcefully, but not with a bruising intensity. It took her a second to react, then she pressed back with equal fervor and fisted her hands in his silky hair. His lips repeated the movements he made earlier with his fingers, making it twice as pleasing with her lips being so sensitive. They parted instinctively, and his tongue slipped in nimbly. He far surpassed her assumptions that he was good with his tongue.

Hermione moaned softly, and he pulled back slowly. Obsidian bored into chestnut before he moved his mouth to her ear. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her to the edge of the desk. Her knees separated so she straddled his hips. His need pressed against her crotch, eliciting another groan as he nibbled gently and she blushed.

"Don't be embarrassed," he murmured in her ear between kisses. "It turns me on." He moved down to her neck, and she titled her head to allow him better access to the sweet spot below her ear. He sucked and kissed, gently scraping his teeth along her flesh once it was sensitive before gently licking. The sensations made her purr.

"Little Lioness," he teased, breathing hot air in her ear. A burning heat was blooming below her stomach, driving her crazy. Feeling the intense need to, she ground her hips against his slowly, reveling in the feel and the noises she caused him to emit. He paused and Hermione took over, capturing his lips in another kiss.

In retaliation, he eased his hands between her legs and his and spread them more. He shimmied her skirt up higher, revealing more smooth ivory skin. With a soft touch, he placed his hands on her thighs and rubbed circles with his thumbs. Slowly, agonizingly, he moved his hands upwards, keeping his thumbs circling.

They broke apart hesitantly minutes later, both breathing heavily. Hermione leaned her head against his forehead, and they locked their gaze. His eyes were still sensually dark.

Then suddenly the realization of what had just transpired hit Hermione like a bludger.

"Oh my god." She scrambled back, or rather, she tried to, but she was trapped between the desk and Blaise, no Zabini.

Zabini saw it, he saw the change in her, and when he did he changed. The blank look reappeared on his face, and he stiffly backed away from her.

"I suppose Snape will be here soon. We should make it seem like we were busy with the cauldrons," he informed her formally.

"What!" Hermione exclaimed. "That's it? You practically ravish me in the potions dungeon, and then you just go bloody cold and Slytherin on me!" She jumped off the table and struck her most annoyed pose.

Zabini didn't flinch at her yelling, but something flickered in his eyes. "I didn't see you complaining when I 'ravished you'. You seemed to enjoy it, actually," he pointed out, smirking. Hermione seethed, grinding her teeth, and tried not to let the images that were replaying in her mind affect her expression.

"I did not!" she demanded hotly, taking a few steps forward. His expression changed to something unreadable.

"You're such a bloody, insufferable, haughty Gryffindor!" Zabini growled, not raising his voice. She opened her mouth, at a loss of what to say, and became very aware at just how close they were. Her eyes were level with Zabini's chest, causing her to look up at him where he stood slightly bending over her. For a moment she thought he was going to close the small gap between their lips, but...

"Quaint," Snape said curtly. Hermione jumped away from Zabini, crashing into the desk painfully. Zabini's face snapped back to his bored expression.

Snape's eyes flicked towards Hermione's neck, and thin lips curved into a smile as Hermione hurried to hide the marks she knew must be on her neck. "Busy, I see? Hmm..." He stalked towards the cauldrons and inspected them with a hawk-like scrutiny. He turned to Hermione, who was silently praying that he not realize she did magic. She caught his gaze, and hurriedly tried to look away, knowing he was a master of Occlumency, but obviously she was not quick enough.

Hermione's wand flew to Snape's outstretched hand, and after a brief examination, he smiled again at catching her. "I do believe I said no magic, Ms. Granger. That will be another detention." Hermione gaped at the slimy Head of Slytherin for a moment, trying to yell out her frustration at the fact that Zabini was walking away free. But so many things had happened, and such anger and confusion was coursing through her that she just looked like a pathetic goldfish.

"OUT!" Hermione didn't need to be told twice and scampered. Zabini was ambling down the hallway ahead.

"Zabini!" she called out. "Zabini! Urgh. _Blaise!_" He turned, slowly, tilting his head in question at her.

"What—why..." she stumbled over all the questions running through her mind. "Thanks a lot. _How's he to know?_ I just got another detention because of you."

Zabini ignored the accusation and grinned. "Pity I can't be there to share it with you." He gave a wink, turned on his heel, and disappeared, leaving a very annoyed Gryffindor behind.

* * *

**A/N:** So that ending may frustrate you. It frustrates me, and I wrote it. This was originally meant as a one-shot, written for the potions classroom challenge from 30-minute HP fic challenges. However, it took me much longer than 30 minutes to write this, and now, I'm thinking of making a few more chapters. Please review with some constructive criticism, especially on their little snog scene. It was originally written a little more, um, risque? But then I realized that this _is_ Hermione. So, please help me out and review. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Detentions**

In Which Blaise Does Something Uncharacteristically Nice

"And then he just—he just grins! And he says, 'Pity I can't be there with you.'" Hermione recounted. "I mean, honestly, what was going on?" She yanked hard on her long braid which was pulled over her shoulder and turned to her best friend Ginny with annoyance plainly written on her face.

Ginny grinned and popped another square of Honeydukes' fudge in her mouth. She chewed and contemplated the situation before swallowing and throwing in her two cents' worth.

"He likes you," she pronounced.

"Hah," Hermione scoffed, snatching a piece of fudge for herself. "You know just as well as I do that if the rumors are true Blaise Zabini cannot keep his hands off anything with breasts on two legs." She popped the fudge into her mouth.

"Perhaps," Ginny said thickly, "the rumors are only half true." It was well known that most truths in Hogwarts were disbelieved rumors and most rumors were the concoctions of Lavender and Parvati.

"Which part? The part about him sleeping with every girl in Hogwarts or the part about...oh wait. That must be it, since it's true," Hermione stated sarcastically.

Ginny rolled her eyes and spoke to Hermione like she was talking to a two-year-old, "Hermione, that is absurd. I certainly haven't slept with him, and you haven't...yet." She smirked at the older girl's shocked expression.

"I—Gin...I would never—It's Blaise Zabini!" she spluttered indignantly, pink patches spreading on her cheeks.

"Denying it will get you no where," Ginny said, as if it was the wisest saying ever. Hermione scowled darkly and shoved more fudge in her mouth, though the flush on her cheeks spread. Ginny giggled at her friend.

"Seriously though. I don't see your problem." Ginny pretended to ponder it, then shrugged. "I seriously don't. You have the hottest arse in Hogwarts with his hands all over you! Bask in it, girl!" Hermione glared at Ginny for her language.

"That's just it, Gin. His hands were all over me. And in the potions classroom, no less!" Hermione said. "Honestly, ravishing me like that with no warning!" Ginny gave up all pretense of trying to hold in her giggles and exploded in laughter, nearly falling off the bed.

"Oh, Hermione," she murmured, wiping tears out of her eyes while trying to breathe. "He was not ravishing you. You two were snogging. You snogged him, and he snogged you. From what you said, he had a very willing partner." She waggled her eyebrows at Hermione, not unlike the twins'. For the second time, Hermione blushed.

"Well, he was incredibly sexy," she admitted shyly. Ginny erupted into giggles again.

* * *

Hermione trudged along the corridors Monday, moaning to herself about having to serve detention not just once but twice! She muttered the many ways she could curse Zabini if she ever got her hands on him again. Of course, this lead to slightly more hormonally driven thoughts that involved hands and lips and all the good feelings they caused, which stimulated a nice blush.

Her thoughts were, thankfully, pushed firmly out of her mind when Filch shoved cleaning supplies in her hands and barked at her to get to work. Sighing, she rolled up her sleeves and prepared to polish the hundreds of trophies that lined the Trophy Room walls.

'Too bad Blaise isn't here to distract me,' she thought idly. Then she jumped, astounded such a thought had formed in her brain. There was no way she wanted Blaise, no, Zabini here to distract her. That would just end up confusing and aggravating her more. And she definitely didn't want that. No, she didn't want him to distract her with those big hands and soft lips.

CLANG!

"Sorry, sir," she mumbled, hurriedly picking up the trophy she just dropped. Filch glowered at her before limping away to sit. Hermione re-polished the trophy, keeping her mind very firmly on the rhythmic motions her arm had to make.

Another resounding CRASH came several minutes later, to which Hermione blurted out, "It wasn't me!" Filch sent her a nasty look before a grin, which showed all of his yellow, broken teeth, broke out.

"Peeves," he said joyfully after another crash. "I've got you this time!" He set off at a loping pace, cackling as he went.

"Disturbing, right?"

Hermione shrieked in surprise and jumped, falling off the step stool she was using. She scrambled up as quick as she could with her newly bruised bum, and spun around, holding the spray bottle in front of her like a weapon.

"Lovely to see you too, my dear," her "attacker" commented.

"Blaise?"

His amused expression turned dark for a moment when he muttered, "Back on first name basis, now are we?" Then his expression was schooled to worry. (Hermione supposed Slytherins were good at acting.) "How's you bum?" Hermione hesitated for a moment, but she couldn't tell whether it was from him talking about her bum or if she was trying to figure out if he was sincere.

"Er, a little bruised."

"Well," Blaise dragged his eyes up and down her body, the sexy smirk growing on his face, "bruised or not, it's a very nice little bum." Hermione's mouth dropped open for a moment before she realized he had complimented her and she blushed on the subject matter. Blaise's smirk merely grew.

"Well, Blaise, I've work to do, no thanks to you, so unless you've come here to apologize, I think you should leave now," Hermione said bitterly. Truthfully, she was hoping he'd apologize, take responsibility for giving her both detentions. She wasn't too greatly disappointed, however, when he stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned up against the wall casually, indicating he was thinking of doing no such thing. Hermione blinked and tore her eyes away from the dark man to return to her work.

She could feel him staring at her still after twenty minutes of methodically polishing trophies. She sighed, put down the trophy, and hopped off the steps.

"So you're just going to stand there?"

"Yep," he said, in a manner that was meant to annoy her. He smirked smugly when Hermione sighed exasperated.

"Why?"

Blaise shrugged and pushed off the wall. "I told you, it's a nice little bum." Hermione's expression snapped to half horror and half flushed embarrassment. He was really started to fray her nerves. Honestly, who does he think he is, coming in all sexy and making her think of him like...like less and less of a Slytherin. There was no reason for her to like Zabini, or to be blamed for it. He was a womanizer.

"LEAVE!" she hissed, chucking a trophy at his head. Half a second later she regretted it, some worry peeking out from the blanket of frustration that had become her emotions. It soon disappeared when Blaise easily caught the lobbed trophy.

"No."

Hermione frowned and threw her hands up in exasperation. "Fine! But do not talk to me. Ever. Unless it's to apologize for throwing me in detention, twice," she held up two fingers for emphasis, "or to explain why you're acting so..." She paused, searching for a word other than attractive or sexy. "...annoying." Blaise merely nodded. Hermione huffed and returned to her work.

She rubbed furiously on the next trophy, to Bert Odditee for Special Services. 'Why is Blaise acting so odd? Ginny can't possibly be right...can she? Oh, but he did say I had a nice bum. Urgh, I'm a Muggleborn, he's a Slytherin, just stop!' she thought. Bert's trophy was set down a little harder than intended, and she promised to keep her mind on her something else while she finished.

Five big trophies later, she'd finished reciting the 12 uses of dragon's blood and the charms they'd learned last week. She became acutely aware that there was the noise of someone else polishing trophies and humming. She set down the plaque and turned, her face showing her astonishment.

Blaise was unconcernedly polishing a trophy. Blaise, the second slimiest Slytherin, was helping. Without being threatened, he was helping.

"Oh dear, what alternate reality did I fall into?" Hermione breathed.

Blaise looked up and smiled a real smile, not a smirk. "None."

"You're being nice..." she said uncertainly. "It's—why?"

Blaise's smile faltered and he paused his waxing. Then his face turned very somber. "Trying to figure out why all you Gryffs find your house so damn superior. You know..doing the right thing and all that crap." It took Hermione a second to see the glint of humor in his eyes.

"Doing the right thing?" she questioned, hoping he meant what she thought.

"I got you into this mess," Blaise explained shortly. Hermione smiled at him. He wore a look that clearly said he was unsure about how to say something.

"I accept your apology," Hermione said kindly. Blaise gave her a funny look she couldn't quite decipher, and humming, he went back to polishing the trophy. Hermione stared, trying to figure out him, for a moment before following his lead and returning to her work.

Of course, it's particularly hard to work when a Slytherin who had done decidedly intimate things with you is sitting just a few feet away, seemingly not bothered by the tension she felt in the air. She didn't want to contemplate just what sort of tension she felt. No, that'd only get her mind to think naughty thoughts about Slytherins sexiest.

_'Oh Merlin,'_ she groaned to herself, wanting to tear her hair out. But she settled for setting down the trophy and heaving a frustrated sigh.

So, of course, she was very surprised when she felt a pair of large hands grasp her around the waist and twist her around. Her small squeak was interrupted when his hot mouth covered hers. And she melted.

Her brain was furiously telling her to shove him off and give him a strong slap. Her body, however, was responding quite nicely.

Which is why, when Filch stormed in more sour than before, he found Hermione shoved up against a trophy case, her hands entangled in Blaise's hair and his hands firmly on her bum, pressing her closer.

Which is always why they found themselves being yelled, and spit, at seconds later about groping like a bunch of animals, with threatens of detention in the Forbidden Forest with other animals.

"Well, I hope you're happy," Hermione spat out at Blaise when they were shoved into the hallways. Blaise looked at her with that awful, annoying smirk.

"Yes, I am," he replied quite simply. And he left, leaving Hermione, once again, fuming.

* * *

**A/N:** Ugh. I'm not too happy with this chapter. I took me days to finish out their detention sentence and I still don't like it. Oh well. Looking forward to some constructive critisicm. And I promise chapter 3 will be up much quicker, involving rash Gryffs, vicious Doxies, and a rather tender moment. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Detentions**

_In Which Hermione Says Wow_

Hermione sighed again and began to impatiently tap her quill against her desk. Ancient Runes seemed to take forever, the mere hour had stretched to an impossible length. Of course, she knew it was all in her perception, because she was waiting eagerly to interrogate Blaise before he had a chance to escape, again.

Ever since that detention (The thought of her being in detention still caused a stab of annoyance and shame.) in the Trophy Room, Hermione had been trying to corner Blaise to get him to give her answers. She had practically raced out of potions the other day, only to find him surrounded by stupid fourth year bimbos. She passed off the feeling that boiled in her veins as anger that he had gotten away again.

And yet, despite his hasty exits and blatant avoidance, he seemed to still have interest in her. In the Great Hall one morning, he was staring at her. Ginny had pointed it out and had gone into another spiel about how he fancied her. Hermione had wisely hurried out of the hall with an excuse of researching something for potions.

"...Class dismissed," the professor said. Hermione jumped out of her busy thoughts, just in time to see Blaise swinging his bag over his shoulder and making a quick getaway after glancing at her with one of his unreadable expressions. Hermione hurried through the crowd trying to make it out of the door, ignoring her books which still lay open on her desk.

"BLAISE!" she shouted in the crowding hallway. She could see the back of his curly head pause before he ducked behind a tapestry.

"Stupid, bloody Slytherin," she muttered, kicking the nearest statue angrily. Several first years shirked away from her with wide eyes. "Oh thanks, Zabini. Now I'm losing my mind over you." She looked at the hard stone wall before her. "I wonder if I bash my head against that hard enough if I'll succumb to oblivion for the rest of my life."

"We can only hope." Hermione wheeled around, a light blush adorning her cheeks at being caught talking to herself.

"Oh, Malfoy."

"Disappointed?" the Slytherin smirked. "Thought I was Blaise?"

"Just because you're on our side now doesn't mean I can't curse you into next year," Hermione said evenly, crossing her arms. "What do you want, Ferret?"

"Testy. Blaise isn't giving you what you need?" Malfoy taunted some more. Hermione nearly growled, and Malfoy reluctantly spat out his message, "That oaf has given you detention on Thursday at 7." Tomorrow. Hermione did an internal cheer. They'd have to stick together in the forest; he couldn't get away again.

X

"Hermione!" someone snapped, waving their hand in front of her face. She jumped back to reality and dropped the mashed potatoes on her fork all over her skirt.

"Gee, thanks Gin," she said dryly. Her friend grinned at her.

"You were staring at Blaise. I thought I should stop you before Harry and Ron stop arguing about Quidditch practise and notice," Ginny explained, clearly still chuckling over the flying potatoes.

"I was not staring!" Hermione started hotly.

"Yes," Ginny interjected flatly. "All week. If I didn't know better, I'd say you fancy Blaise..." she trailed off suggestively, giving her a grin that was eerily like the twins'.

"Shh!" Hermione glared at her and gave a pointed look at the two oblivious boys.

"So you do!" Ginny accused, pointing an excited finger at her. Hermione shook her head vehemently and tried to spit out a coherent defense. "You do, you do, you do!"

"Ginny!" Hermione hissed, yanking the girl down from standing on the seat. "Stop it this instant. I do not like him." Ginny gave Hermione a look that clearly said she thought otherwise, but at the death glare Hermione was giving her, she let the subject drop.

"Oh, look, your lover boy's leaving!" she pointed out gleefully. Hermione threw her an exasperated look and smacked her on the head before hurrying to catch up with Blaise.

"Blaise..wait..." Hermione half-panted. Why did he have such long legs?

"Er, I didn't realize mashed potatoes were in," Blaise said delicately. Hermione blushed as she realized she still had the ugly brown mush all over her.

"Scourgify," she murmured quickly.

"Glad to know I don't have to do it for you." At Blaise's comment, Hermione remembered just why she wanted to talk to him so bad and the embarrassment left in a hurry.

"About that. Why did you throw that Dungbomb anyway? I don't believe it's because you were doing me a favor and saving me from making a faulty potion, just so you know. And why did you come to my last detention? Did I say I wanted you there? No, I don't think so. And why did you help without being threatened into it? Slytherins never do anything unless there's something in it for themselves, so what's in it for you?" Blaise stopped abruptly, and Hermione, who had been hurrying along to keep up with his long strides, bumped into him just enough for her to wobble.

Blaise's arms caught her wrists easily and tugged her closer. She stepped hesitantly, staring up at those dark eyes like a deer in the headlights. And a second later he crashed his lips down on hers.

Hermione pulled back quickly and cracked her hand against his cheek. He stumbled back, bringing up a hand to cover his cheek in surprise. He pulled it away, eyes hardening as he stared at her. Hermione was pleased to see a beautiful red hand print adorned his cheek.

"What the hell was that for?" he spat out angrily. Hermione had to stop a grin that she managed to confuse and irritate Blaise as much as he did to her.

"For the unwanted kiss," she explained, her mouth going into a thin line. A muscle in Blaise's cheek twitched before he relaxed and assumed that bored, unreadable pose.

"You seemed to enjoy it the last few times I kissed you," he said casually. He turned, shoved his hands deep in his pockets, and shuffled out into the snow-covered grounds. Hermione hurried after him, her anger dissapating as his did.

"Why do you kiss me?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice steady as she said it. It wasn't often that boys gave her a lot of attention, and kissing made her quite the giggly.

"You're a nice kisser." Hermione reached up a hand to hide her grin. She was a nice kisser??

"You're a wonderful kisser," she found herself blurting out. Her hand now covered her mouth in amazement that something like that had spilled out unbidden. Blaise's lips curved into a grin and he turned his head slightly to look at her out of the corner of his eye.

"So why don't you like it when I kiss you?" he questioned, sounding, oddly, very sincere and curious. It was that which made Hermione answer him truthfully, and about something she hadn't even admitted to herself.

"I like the kissing," she admitted, running her fingers through her hair. "It just annoys me because I want to know why you kiss me." She heard him mumble something about having to know everything. "I know Slytherins don't do things unless they have a reason, and you seem to enjoy the kissing too much for it to just be annoying me." When he didn't say anything, Hermione offhandedly commented, "Ginny, my friend, well, she says that you fancy me." He stopped and halfway turned towards her, a contemplative look on his face.

"Does she now?" he said lightly with smirk. "Well, that is a pretty good explanation. Do you think she's right?"

Hermione tried desperately to think of a way out of this, to think of an ambiguous Slytherin-like answer. She didn't want to admit that she hoped Ginny was right. Wait, no. Her hopes weren't up about anything.

Shutting up her busy thoughts, she blurted out, "We'd better hurry. Hagrid's waiting." She hurried her pace to keep Blaise from seeing her blush and consequently, missed his silent chuckle.

X

"That great oaf is out to kill us, I swear. Does he have any brains at all? Or did he inherit more than his size from his lovely mother?" Blaise muttered under his breath, creeping cautiously through the underbrush that made up the fringe of the forest.

He may have muttered, but Hermione heard. Yes, sometimes it did seem like he was out to kill his classes, and she occasionally questioned his unusual choices. But Hagrid was her friend, and a good one at that. Zabini's comment really offended her, mostly because she knew it was just prejudice, which she thought was utterly stupid, and it also hinted that he harbored a prejudice against Muggles, and she was Muggleborn.

She stuck her foot out in front of Blaise, and he sprawled onto his face from the trip. "Don't you ever insult my friends, Zabini," she said frostily, squatting down to glare in his face. "I promise that next time your fall will be much more unpleasant. One of my friends has taught me things," she grinned, feeling empowered by the threat, "things I don't think you'd quite like." She straightened and flounced away, grinning hugely as Zabini scrambled up from the brush.

She said nothing as he fell into step a little behind her, and she intended to keep it that way. Hagrid had set them to search for an adult augerey for his sixth year class together as their punishment, but it didn't mean that Hermione actually had to work with him. Honestly, the nerve of him to say such things.

The two had been searching the forest for nearly an hour unsuccessfully when Blaise finally stopped, his self-assured Slytherin posture drooping. When he didn't hear Hermione's footsteps, he assumed she had stopped behind him as well, and the absence of a question surely indicated that she was still giving him the cold shoulder.

"Look, Hermione," he began, his voice wavering with uncertainty. "I'm—I'm sorry. But really, I didn't mean to offend you. A lot of people think Hagrid's a bit...different. And...and I think, if you want that is, I'll, er, give you the explanations for the detention now." He didn't dare turn around, as his face felt oddly hot as though he, a Slytherin, was blushing. But after several moments of silence, he turned out of curiosity.

"Did you hear any of what I just said?" he asked her, exasperated. From her pose against a particularly gnarled tree, hands behind her back, she threw him a smug look.

"Ah, my dearest apologies," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm impressed even Blaise. "I was far more interested in hearing this." Inside her stomach churned and her mouth was dry. He was going to explain things, a chance to eliminate that confusion. But she knew that she couldn't give up the chance to get one up on Blaise. She carefully pulled her arms out from behind her.

"The augerey!" Blaise exclaimed. "But..how'd you know it was there?"

"Perhaps if you shut your mouth and stopped that insufferable crap that spews out of it, then maybe you'd learn to pay attention!" Hermione snapped, feeling quite satisfied at his irritated face.

X

After a quick pit stop at Hagrid's to deliver the singing augerey, Blaise and Hermione made the trek up to the castle in silence. Clouds swirled overhead, heavy and steely gray. Neither student took notice, however, as both were caught up in their swirling thoughts.

Hermione sighed and veered off a little to walk further from Blaise. He was offering to tell her the truth. Why did she feel like saying no? She looked sidelong at him and whipped her head back so fast that she nearly gave herself whiplash when she saw he was staring bemusedly at her as well.

She liked how they bantered back and forth. He challenged her quick wit in a way that no one else really did. He was like a puzzle that needed solving, and having him give up the answer just took the whole challenge out of it.

But on the other hand, Hermione had an ever-growing feeling that gnawed at her stomach. Suppose this was just some elaborate Slytherin prank. She wouldn't put it past the Slytherins...yet, she trusted Blaise. Oh, she didn't trust him to not spill over her ink or trip her up in the hallways, but she trusted that he..well, how did she trust him? She didn't quite now, but in some way, he felt he was at least partially honest when he felt like it.

She glanced over again, this time trying to be more discreet, and realized they were nearly brushing each other as they walked. She jumped, but his arm snaked around her and pulled her close again.

"Rain. C'mon, let's hurry inside," Blaise murmured close to her ear. She nodded numbly, oblivious to the rain drops splattering on her. All she could feel was that closeness.

His arm slid over to grab her hand, and they set off at a run as the rain grew steadily harder. Lightning cackled between the clouds, illuminating their faces in oddly blue shades that matched fantastically with Blaise's eyes, she noticed.

The next thing she knew, she tripped and fell face first into the now muddy path. Blaise, still holding her hand tightly, was yanked backwards with her.

"Hey!" he shouted out, eyeing his clothes with disgust. Hermione giggled and grabbed at handful of mud.

"Mmm, this feels so nice," she moaned, rubbing the mud through her fingers. Blaise slowly started scooting away on his bum. Hermione advanced tiger-like, eyes flashing with mirth. "Don't you want some?" she asked innocently. Blaise was fervently shaking his head, despite having mud all over his backside. "Oh I think you do."

With a pounce she leapt at Blaise and grabbed hold of his face. She smeared the mud while giggling happy. The rain kept splattering on the two of them, running the mud into his hair and down his shirt.

"Hermione! Stop, stop!" he begged, trying to squirm away. But Hermione promptly sat on his stomach, full of crazed energy with the rain and the childlike feeling of playing in the mud again.

"This means war..." Blaise narrowed his eyes at her with a smirk. Hermione lifted her hands to put them on her hips with some sass, but Blaise quickly grabbed her around the waist and rolled her into the mud with an evil laugh. He sprang up and proceeded to sprint up to the castle.

Hermione was not far behind, however, and it took them three times as long to make the trip. One would catch up and tackle the other at the waist, pulling both of them into the mud. They'd laugh like children for a while before one would hop up and start sprint like mad.

They made it up the steps breathing hard and trying to control the laughing. Hermione bent over, wheezing, while Blaise threw his weight against the door.

"Wow," Blaise breathed. Hermione looked up, bring pink cheeks scrunched from the smile she still wore. Mud covered nearly ever inch of him, save his face where the rain washed it off. His eyes shone more brightly than ever and Hermione took a few steps forward, not even aware.

"Wow."

"You said that," she pointed out, but in the same awed tone.

"I'll say it again then," Blaise whispered, dropping his head lower to hers. "Wow."

They kissed.

For a while.

"Wow," Hermione breathed.

"Yeah." There was a silence, where they just looked at each other. A grin slowly formed on Hermione's face. She finally saw a good chance to extract a little more revenge.

And that revenge came in the form of mud shoved in his face.

Quick as she could, she tried to shove a handful of mud down his collar. She tried, and she didn't succeed. Blaise caught her arm easily.

With a raised eyebrow, he questioned, "And just what," his head dipped closer again, eyes boring intently into hers, "do you think you were going to do with this?" Her hand went limp and the mud splatted onto the steps, but neither noticed the extra mud on their shoes.

"Well, er, I was going to rub it in your face," Hermione finally admitted, now feeling like a reprimanded three-year-old for her childish antic at such a romantic moment.

"Oh really? You mean like this?" Hermione sputtered as Blaise caressed her face with mud.

"Urgh," Hermione muttered with disgust. Blaise chuckled loudly, looking to her like a carefree young man, not the slimy Slytherin she knew he had to be. His eyes glinted from the excitement and his hair fell in a most attractive way in his eyes, yet covered in mud.

Then, for the first time, Hermione initiated a kiss. It wasn't like the others at all, and they both realized that a little. She pressed firmly into him, but they kissed tenderly as if the other was going to break. It didn't last long, but they were more stunned when they broke apart than they were after their raunchy snog in the dungeons.

"You know Hermione, you're beautiful," Blaise said, for once absent of any sarcasm. Hermione smiled, feeling a little shy and wondering how he thought she looked beautiful with mud covering her and ratty hair.

"You're not so bad yourself, Blaise."

* * *

_A/N: Hey guys. Been a while, eh? The old chapter three's ending created a sort of impasse with my creativity. So I changed about the last third of this. I'm really quite fond of the cute, flirty ending. : Thanks to all who've waited for this. I'm terribly sorry it took forever. But I promise updates will come soon. Probably only one last chapter, I'm not quite sure.  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**Detentions**

_In Which Blaise Leaves Hermione Utterly Confused _

The following day two students, their Houses strategically placed furthest from each other, received identical letters from school owls. As one, the troublesome students silently read the notice and grins spread across their faces, albeit one more of a smirk.

Their gazes locked from across the hall. The grin, belonging to Hermione, faltered slightly as a blush rose up her cheeks when Blaise's grin turned seductive. Hermione shivered at the thought of what would, hopefully, happen at their detention later that night.

"Wos 'at?" Ron said suspiciously. Hermione fumbled with the notice. She was becoming too obvious about Blaise if Ron could catch something while half asleep and busy stuffing food in his mouth.

"Oh, another detention, that's all." Hermione busied herself with spreading jam on her toast, trying to hide her smile.

"You sure have been getting a lot lately..." Harry noted, his eyebrows knotted in confusion. "And since when is another detention not a big deal?" Hermione swallowed, dabbed daintily at her lips with a napkin, and carefully repositioned her knife. But buying time just made Harry and Ron more suspicious and left her with no good excuse. Ron and Harry had put down their breakfasts, never a good sign, and Ginny was turned the other way in an effort to stifle the sudden bout of giggles she developed.

"Well, er," Hermione mumbled. What was she supposed to say? She couldn't just blurt out that she was secretly snogging Blaise Zabini and loving it, could she?

"Granger." Oh thank Merlin! Saved by the mysterious voice owned by..uh-oh...

"B--Zabini," Hermione tried to say with a hint of annoyance, but her stumble didn't quite achieve the desired effect. Blaise smirked, although it turned out to be a bad attempt at making a grin seem Slytherinesque. His gaze swept over the group, noting with distaste that Ron had jam on his chin.

"Due to the mud incident last night, my robes are absolutely filthy. You will, of course, have no objection when I tell you that you _will _be cleaning them?" he commanded superiorly. Hermione gaped like a goldfish; just what was he playing at? Her friends cried out about the unfairness of it.

"Come," Blaise said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

"Sodding git," Ron growled as the Slytherin pulled along his best friend. Ginny, once again, had to duck her head to hide her giggles.

She'd seen Blaise's conspiratorial wink.

* * *

Hermione slipped into Charms just as class started, vainly trying to smooth down her hair and straighten her robes. Her grin wasn't preventable though. Who knew a quick snog in the broom closest was such fun? 

"I hope you gave that git a good curse or two," Ron mumbled. Hermione froze for a moment, startled out of her reminiscing of just how his hands caressed her face.

"Uh, of course, Ron."

"Hermione, what's that on your neck?" Harry asked curiously. Hermione's hand flew to the spot that had been caressed only moments ago by Blaise's lips.

"Nothing! Just..nothing," she finished lamely. "Now hush, class is starting." Harry narrowed his eyes at her. But since Flitwick was currently trying to control another student's nose swelling; class was nowhere near being started. There was something odd going on, and Harry was determined to find out what it was

* * *

Coming into the castle absolutely covered in dripping mud can get you in a lot of trouble, Hermione reflected. And scraping pounds of Drooble's gum off the undersides of desks and dusting 3-inch thick layers of dust off the bookshelves was really no fun at all.

But with Blaise, it was oh so enjoyable.

"You know, leaving us alone in the most secluded corner of the library is just begging for me to ravish you thoroughly," Blaise whispered into her ear before resuming his task of thoroughly exploring her neck with his mouth. Hermione smiled and melted against the wall, feeling very good pinned so close to his body.

"We really...should...get back to...oh wow..." Hermione's feeble protest was cut off by Blaise's kisses. It was quite difficult to think of something as trivial as cleaning desks when Blaise was making her feel oh so wonderful.

"And you were saying?" Blaise asked, looking quite satisfied at Hermione's speechlessness.

"Uh..work! Yes, we've got to work."

Blaise gave a sigh not unlike that of a five year old told to clean his room.

"Fine," he said begrudgingly. Hermione smiled at his pout and give him a peck on the lips. He eagerly tried to lean in for more, but Hermione raised a reproaching eyebrow and went back to gum scraping. They worked in silence until Hermione felt the silence had grown too oppressive.

Finally she blurted out, "Harry and Ron are beginning to suspect something." She put down her supplies and slowly turned to face Blaise when he didn't answer. He wore a look like she had just proposed killing his cat. Why on earth did she just blurt that out?

"And?"

"I'm just saying that perhaps we should be more careful," Hermione said. She felt guilty that she was hiding such a thing from her best friends, but honestly, it was much better than having them find out she was snogging a Slytherin. The look didn't change, and that worried her.

"So that they won't find out about us," Blaise said evenly. Hermione nodded. "I see. And why would that be such a bad thing?"

"Oh come on, Blaise. Do you honestly think what is between us is serious enough to risk ruining my friendship with them?" Hermione cried out. He was being absurd. "You're a Slytherin. And while I realize that you're not an awful jerk since you can civilly consort with a Muggleborn like me, but Ron and Harry have a pretty concrete mindset about Slytherins."

"You really think you're just a quick snog in the broom closet when I can get one a lot easier from one of the Slytherin whores?" Blaise said softly, taking a step back and crossing his arms. "I'm sorry that you see it this way. Apparently, I thought this was something a bit more than what it was. Trust me, this will be our last detention." With one last look of something Hermione couldn't recognize on his face, he left, leaving Hermione utterly confused.

* * *

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Ron and Harry were engaged in a ruthless battle of chess. Ron, of course, smashed Harry's pieces mercilessly while Ginny tried her hardest to give Harry tips while composing an essay.

After Ron pronounced checkmate in a rather bored tone, Harry asked, "Do you suppose there's something going on with Hermione?" Ron paused from putting back his chessmen.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's had a lot of detentions lately."

"Yeah, and with that Zabini bloke too."

Ginny wasn't quite quick enough to hide the alarmed look that flitted across her face.

"Gin? D'you know something?" Harry pressed.

"I might," Ginny said carefully. "But _if_ something is going on, it is not my place to tell you. And don't you even think about spying on Hermione!" she warned, glaring at their conspiratorial glances. "You know how ticked she can get. Now, good night." With a last warning glare, she gathered her things and disappeared up the staircase.

"D'you reckon?" Ron questioned.

"I'll grab the cloak."

* * *

The two boys snuck off to the library, invisible underneath the invisibility cloak. Whatever they were expecting, it was not what they saw.

Hermione was alone, morosely dusting the same shelf over and over again. Her eyes were glazed over, brow furrowed, and she appeared deep in thought. Though what she was contemplating, the boys had no idea.

What puzzled them most, however, was the strange lack of Zabini, since they were positive that they had been assigned detention together as usual. Harry and Ron threw each other confused looks under the cloak before looking back at Hermione. Ron gave a shrug and seem satisfied that nothing was peculiar. But Harry's sixth sense was blaring loudly; there was something going on, he was sure of it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Detentions**

_In Which Hermione Faces Disappointment_

Ginny looked bemusedly between Hermione and Zabini. It had been a week since their last detention in the library, and ever since, Hermione had been looking a little morose. While it wasn't too obvious, Ginny was a keen observer, and the extra foot on each essay of Hermione's didn't go unnoticed. Neither did her mysterious absence from her most frequented spot, the library.

"All right, Hermione," Ginny began in an undertone that didn't entirely hide her forcefulness. "What in Merlin's name is going on?"

Hermione looked up from her porridge, a sudden sad look appearing on her face, and unconsciously glanced over at the Slytherin table. Ginny followed her gaze to Zabini, who felt the stares and looked up, his face devoid of any hint of emotion. Hermione was quick to look away.

"Nothing." Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"I don't quite believe that."

Hermione sighed. "Nothing is going on. As in, nothing anymore. As in, I'm keeping my record clean from now on."

"Ah." Ginny desperately wanted to know what had transpired between the two of them. She had an inkling, and it had to do with the two boys engaged in a furious discussion about Malfoy who were seated right next to them. Ginny glanced over at the Slytherin table where Zabini was halfheartedly poking at his eggs.

"What did you do?" Ginny correctly asked. Hermione, finally fed up with the questioning which could have been avoided if she wasn't so stupid, stood up.

"It is absolutely none of your business, Ginny!" Crossly, Hermione stalked out of the Great Hall.

-------

Harry watched concernedly as Hermione left breakfast. Something was bothering her, as if that wasn't painfully obvious with her outburst at Ginny, and Harry had an inkling it had to do with Zabini. He glanced down at Ginny, who was now moody, and tried to silently communicate that he would talk to Hermione. It must have worked, because Ginny threw him a grateful smile that made his stomach flip flop.

After trying to give her a sexy grin back, which he was sure he failed miserably at since Ginny laughed, he went back to his breakfast and his thoughts of his best friend. Hermione deserved happiness, even if it was with some smarmy Slytherin bloke. Harry would just have to accept it. And so would Ron if he wanted his homework checked ever again.

-------

The fire crackled merrily in its hearth, and the cushy armchairs that surrounded the fire held their usual occupants, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. The Gryffindor common room was noisy and busy, as usual, with games of Exploding Snap and loud gossiping gaggles of girls. Everything was as it should be.

Except, Hermione wasn't doing her homework.

Her books lay open on the table, sheafs of parchment ready for writing and an inkpot unscrewed. But, the sheafs were unusually blank and her quill sat still in the pot of ink.

Instead of her usual pasttime, doing homework, Hermione lounged in the chair and stared pensievely at the flickering flames. Her expression bordered on frustration and confusion, and her thoughts centered on one person.

Blaise Zabini, perhaps the single most confusing person Hermione had ever encountered and had the misfortunate to desperately want to spend time around. She just couldn't understand how his hot and cold behavior, one minute acting caring and loving and then next minute acting cold and Slytherin. Sometimes he'd look at her with such tenderness in his eyes that she'd simply melt inside, wanting nothing more than to be swept up by those passionate kisses. Yet sometimes he had the oddest look in his eyes that Hermione couldn't decipher. He'd belittle her with sharp retorts that didn't seem to be merely teasing, but an attempt to convince everyone, perhaps himself, around them that she wasn't worth it.

She need a how-to guide for deciphering boys. Books didn't fail her. Unfortunately, she hadn't come across such a book, and she felt a bit lost.

Rubbing her face, she wondered why she mixed herself up in this mess with Blaise in the first place. If she had only pushed him away during that first kiss...that first wonderful, hot snog. She remembered a promise she made at the beginning of the year to avoid boys during her seventh year to concentrate fully on her studies. Apparently, she thought, that plan was tossed out the window. And she wasn't sure if she regretted that too much.

"I said, Hermione!" Harry called out.

"Huh?" Hermione mumbled, not really aware that Harry had been trying to get her attention for the last minute.

"I asked if you were going to start on your transfiguration essay soon," Harry said. Hermione started and looked down at her blank parchment. An idea slowly formed in her head at the sight of the blank parchment and she shook her head, standing up.

"No, no I think I'm going to go up to bed," she said slowly. Ron, if he noticed anything odd, didn't give any indication, but both Ginny and Harry raised their brows as if questioning her sanity.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked, his voice full of concern. Ginny's eyes mirrored his. If Hermione wasn't so confused and annoyed, she would have considered her friends' concern very sweet.

As it was, she said rudely, "I am _fine_! Honestly, would you guys just stop pestering me about it!" She strode to the dormitory staircase, already inwardly cringing at her horrible behavior to her friends, but she didn't think she had the patience to be around those concerned stares any longer. Blaise's weird actions were eating at her, and she had just thought of, hopefully, a way to work things out.

-------

Harry, still writing the same paragraph, noticed Hermone hurrying out of the portrait hole. Being the only one with a view of the common room's entrance, he was the only one to notice her mysterious exit when she had said just moments before that she was going up to bed. Harry leaned over to Ginny and whispered his suspicions.

"I wonder where she's going," Ginny mused, something echoed in Harry's own head. "You don't suppose she's going to patch things up with Zabini, do you?" Ginny suggested excitedly. Harry smiled at her happiness.

"I hope so. If this is fine, I'd hate to see a bad day," Harry joked, referring to Hermione's latest outburst. "I'm going to check the map."

He made a hasty excuse of not being able to locate his charms book and dashed upstairs. Pushing open the dormitory door, his eyes fell on the open map carelessly tossed on his bed. Hermione, he figured.

He peered at the map and after a while he managed to locate Zabini sitting in the kitchen. Hermione was rapidly moving through the halls, and Harry felt safe to hazard a guess and say she was headed for the kitchens as well.

"She's off to meet him," he muttered to Ginny as he sat back down in the common room. "Couldn't find my charms book," he said out loud. "Damn, must have left it in class."

"Tough luck, mate," Ron said. "Bum Hermione's. Wonder why she left so early?"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, trying to hide smiles at Ron's obliviousness.

-------

Hermione's hand paused next to the ticklish pear. Taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage for utter rejection and entered the kitchen. House elves immediately swarmed around her with platters, but it was a mark of how set on her goal she was that she didn't badger them about freedom. She needed to talk to Blaise.

She found him sitting at a worn table, nursing a steaming drink and enjoying a platter of cookies. Hermione enjoyed the picture of him sitting in front of the fire. It wasn't a picture she'd expect a Slytherin to be part of it, and it made her wonder if he was really as much of a Slytherin as he tried to make himself out to be.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, very grateful her voice did not squeak. He looked up and scrutinized her with those sapphire blue eyes.

"Sure."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and gingerly sat down on the chair, at once feeling her mind go blank. She'd spent days just trying to get him to acknowledge that she wanted to talk to him that she didn't even spare a moment to think of what she would said.

"Um, what are you drinking?"

"Coffee," he said simply. Hermione could have smacked herself. She came to talk to Zabini for a reason, yet her brain just seemed to firmly fixate on his eyes and how perfectly his hair curled around his ears slightly.

"I'm vaguely reminded of our first detention together," he said, a hint of humor playing in his voice.

Hermione felt herself go pink. "Listen, Blaise..." she trailed off, suddenly hesitant by the closed off expression on his face. "About our last detention. I definitely didn't expect that. It's not at all obvious that you felt..whatever it is that you feel about me. How am I supposed to know? I feel like you're a coin, and everytime I see you it's like I'm flipping a coin and that's the side of you I'm stuck with." She sat there, waiting for Blaise to explain or at least awknowledge that she was speaking.

Instead, he drained his mug, stood up, and said, "I do believe curfew begins in five minutes. It wouldn't do good for the Gryffindor goodie-goodie to be out this late."

Hermione felt the sting of that insult and watched sadly as Blaise walked away again. Only this time, he looked back, staring at her with uncertainty in his gaze. Then he opened his mouth, and Hermione cringed, waiting for another verbal attack.

"I meant it when I said you're beautiful," he said softly. Hermione's heart lifted at his words, but disappointment choked up her throat and brought tears to her eyes.

-------

It had been a while since the last straggler headed up to bed, yet Harry still sat in front of the fire, unable to sleep yet again. He opted to wait for Hermione and have a little chat with her when she arrived. He, along with Ginny, was anxious for her to settle her differences with Zabini. The moody Hermione they'd been forced to deal with lately wasn't well liked. He wanted his old best friend back, the girl he'd come to depend on as a sister.

"Oh, Harry, you're still up."

Harry lifted his head. Hermione stood in the middle of the common room, looking slightly lost. Harry smiled comfortingly at his friend and patted the space next to him on the couch. Hermione obliged and settled in next to him. She gave him a questioning look, and upon his nod, she turned slightly and slung her legs over his. It was a definite sign that she was looking for someone to talk to.

Harry fixed her with a stern glare. "Well, explain yourself."

"What?" Hermione asked, confused.

"I'm only kidding," Harry said and smiled, which earned him a playful slug in the shoulder. "I do want an explanation though. You left the map open. You know you should be careful with it! So, I hope this explanation is good." He sat back and crossed his arms, trying to look menacing and only succeeded in being as menacing as a dog getting his ears scratched.

"Right, well be prepared for disappointment," Hermione said bitterly, proceeding to explain all the disappointment she had felt lately concerning a boy who was currently in a green dormitory punching a pillow angrily due to his utter stupidity concerning a bush-haired, brown-eyed girl.

_A/N: So here's chapter five. Um.. one more chapter left. Can't wait! What do you guys think of this? _


	6. Chapter 6

**Detentions**

_In Which Pink Cheeks Create Lascivious Desires_

Harry's took it upon himself to make it his mission to reunite Zabini and Hermione. Sure, the bloke was a Slytherin. And he thought, with good reason, that Slytherins were generally a slimly lot. But if Hermione liked him, well, he could accept that. After all, there were exceptions to every rule, and he knew Hermione was a whole lot smarter than he, so he trusted her judgment.

And he feared her wrath. Not that he'd ever be stupid enough to try and tell her what to do. That was strictly Ron's job. Just like it was Harry's job to keep the truth from Ron for as long as possible. He did not want to see that argument.

Harry's opportune moment came about a week later in Transfiguration when they were taking a quiz. Most of the class already had chosen their seats when the Gryffindor trio arrived, and Harry, using the quick thinking that got him out of trouble so often, yanked Ron into a seat and plopped himself next to Ron before Hermione could. That left the only open seat right in front of Zabini and Harry.

Hermione pointedly ignored the boy, who didn't seem bothered in the least. McGonagall passed out the quizzes, explicitly stating that no cheating was allowed. And thus, the plan began.

Harry ducked his head and reached out to Hermione to poke her in the back. She shrugged her shoulder in irritation and huffed. He waited, wrote an answer on his quiz, and quickly jabbed her again.

Hermione sighed and turned to stare at Zabini, who looked at her in bemusement. Harry ducked to hide his grin at how well his plan was going. They'd be in detention in no time.

"Miss Granger, please keep your eyes on your own paper," McGonagall snapped. Hermione bent her head, her cheeks tinged pink.

Harry wrote a few more thoughtful answers and one completely made up answer and poked Hermione again. She fidgeted in annoyance, mumbling under her breath, but she didn't turn around. Obviously she was determined to ignore the poking.

Harry glanced over to make sure no one was looking and gave Hermione three quick jabs with his finger. In a flash he was back to work with no one the wiser, including Hermione.

"ZABINI! Stop poking me!" Hermione screeched, staring Zabini right in the face. The class looked up, some sniggering discreetly at Hermione frazzled expression and Zabini's obvious confusion.

"MISS GRANGER!" McGonagall called out sternly. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Zabini keeps poking me!"

At this, Zabini came to his defense. "I was not! You're the one who kept twisting around to look at me!" He ended that with a little smirk.

"Did not! You poked me!"

"Was not! You were the one interrupting me!"

McGonagall yelled out, her nostrils flaring, "Stop it right now unless you wish to make your punishment worse!" Immediately, the bickering students shut up, causing Harry to duck his head to hide his laughter. Hermione looked positively horrified.

"Detention. Both of you. Tonight. And if I ever see this horrible display of behavior in my class again, I assure you your punishment will be much worse!" McGonagall gave them both a stern glare before returning to her desk.

The class ended with no more incidents, unless Hermione's face achieving the heat to burn an egg counted. "What do you reckon is wrong with Hermione?" Ron whispered to Harry as they exited.

"No idea, mate," Harry lied, barely able to control his smile.

------

"Bloody hell," Blaise muttered, a little too loudly, Hermione thought. But then, she had to agree with him.

"And remember, no magic. I will know," McGonagall warned sternly, her lips pursed so tightly they were nearly invisible. Hermione grimaced and rolled up her sleeves. Blaise scowled as he did the same.

For several minutes all that could be heard was the slopping of soapy water as the two students scrubbed, scraped, and soaked every single dish dirtied during dinner. Hermione couldn't help but feel that McGonagall spent too much time around Filch.

"You know, Granger," Blaise said out of the blue, dropping his plate casually back into the sink," I really should just make you do all of these." Hermione stiffened and slammed her dish back into the sink, finding it a poor substitute for ramming her fist into Blaise.

"Excuse me?" she nearly growled.

"It's your fault you landed us in detention," Blaise shrugged.

"You were the one poking me!"

"I was not!"

"Then please do enlighten me as to who was," Hermione snarled, thrusting her hands on her hips and glaring at him. Blaise opened his mouth and shut it nearly immediately. It surprised Hermione that he was so quick to not rat out someone else, but she was still determined to get him to admit he did it.

"You're really quite cute when your cheeks are pink with anger," he commented, the sultriness she was used to seeping back into his voice. Hermione had to bite back a growl. How dare he be so infuriating and cold one minute and then sexy and desirable the next? It was not fair!

"Oh no you don't!" Before he could blink, she had her wand level with his chest. "Tell me this instant," she ground out, emphasizing each word with a sharp jab.

"And that stick is supposed to impress me?" he drawled. "Cupcake, I've got one much more impressive." He winked. Gods, Hermione had to try so hard not to let her mind go where he was steering it.

"Funny, Zabini." Her voice wavered and she internally groaned. She trained her wand at a much lower part of his anatomy, smirking diabolically when his face paled. "Oh, it appears you find it much more impressive now. Do tell."

She watched as Blaise argued with himself. His eyes flicked worriedly to her face and back down to the wand.

"It was Potter." Hermione stayed silent for a moment, putting away her wand. Blaise relaxed as he was lured into the false calm.

"How dare you!" she screeched. "Do NOT even try to put the blame on my best friend. I cannot believe this! Wait, yes, yes I can, especially from a slimy, foul, cold, uncaring Slytherin like you!"

During a breath, Blaise cut in, "I'm telling the truth, Hermione. Don't yell at me if you refuse to believe me. I'm not as slimy or uncaring as you may think."

"Oh yeah?" Hermione retorted sharply. "You could have fooled me." Finding the conversation finished, she turned and resumed her scrubbing. Blaise, after a moment, followed suit.

It made time pass much more quickly imagining Blaise's face on the plate she was viciously scrubbing. She was happily working on her thirtieth Blaise mutilating when she felt something very wet slide down her back.

"Blaise," she said through gritted teeth. In a flash she grabbed a bowlful of water and turned to throw it in his face. Blaise expected it though, and with a wide grin, he grabbed her arms and redirected the bowl to splash at their feet. Hermione shrieked at her sodden trainers.

Blaise was soon chasing her with the sink hose in hand, gleefully spraying everything she managed to expose while trying to hide behind chairs and under tables. Hermione sprinted towards the sink to grab another bowlful of water with Blaise right on her heels. She grabbed the bowl and turned just in time to see Blaise sliding into her.

SMACK!

The both fell to the ground tangled up in each other. The bowl flew up and the water drenched them thoroughly. And that was how Hermione found herself pressed against another wet body, staring into Blaise's darkening eyes, beads of water dripping of her nose.

"Blaise," Hermione started to say, quite sure that he would have to listen to her now. But Blaise, apparently, had other ideas. Ideas that Hermione began to quickly love.

He pulled her face down a mere inch from his. Hermione gasped a little as Blaise's tongue flicked out to lick the sensitive skin of her throat. All thoughts of talk vanished from her mind as Blaise's hands tangled in her sopping hair and his mouth did things to her neck that made her insides writhe.

_Gods, I missed this_.

She pulled away from him and just as his brow was furrowing, she crashed her lips down to his. Her hands roamed his arms, reveling in the swells of his biceps and the strong forearms. He eagerly swept his tongue along her lower lip, sending a shiver down her spine. He swirled his tongue on the roof of her mouth, pulling out to flip them over so his soaked body was pressed against hers. He pecked her twice, once on each corner of her mouth. He smiled down at her, looking at her lying there with a smile on her face and her eyes half-closed in pleasure. He dove down to give her one last kiss.

"It was Potter," he whispered. Hermione's eyes flew open, looking put out at the lack of lip contact.

"Why would he do that?" she mumbled, absently running her hands up Blaise's chest. Blaise shrugged and continued to stare at her with his dark eyes.

"Oh, perhaps..." Hermione trailed off.

"He did it on purpose," Blaise finished for her. "What was that you were saying about risking your friendship?" He raised his eyebrows and carefully lifted himself off of her, rising to his feet. She just remained there, feeling really stupid. Of course they would have been okay with it. After all, they'd rather have to deal with some Slytherin than lose her as a friend. But Ron...she glanced at Blaise. Her eyes followed the little curls on his neck to his forearms that flexed methodically with his scrubbing. Psh, who cares about Ron? He was worth another spat with Ron.

She rose and cautiously walked up to Blaise's back.

"I realize... now, that I'm, we're not just having a snog in a broom closet. I just didn't think we had a really important thing going on. Half the time you're all distant, so I have no idea what to think. There aren't any books on this!" Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth in surprise at saying that last bit. Her embarrassment only grew when she saw Blaise's shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Don't laugh!"

Blaise turned, trying desperately to keep the smiling that was tugging his lips at bay. "You're so cute when your cheeks get pink." He finally gave in to the grin and stepped closer, wrapping a half dry curl around his finger.

Hermione put her hands on his chest, but didn't push him away. "Explain."

"Perhaps," Blaise said softly into her ear, "I was just a dumb Slytherin who had too much house pride to fully believed I could be so crazy about a Gryffindor." He gently placed his finger over her lips when she started to open them. "But damn, I was wrong. I've never seen anyone has sexy with sopping wet clothes and pink cheeks." He nipped at her ear. "I was stupid. I was a Slytherin. I was trying my hardest to ignore this and find someone suitable. To hell with suitable." He breathed into her ear, "I'm a man, Gryffette, and I have..._needs_." He roughly pulled her hips into his.

If possible, Hermione's cheeks darkened. "Well, I agree with you on the wrong part. And the dumb part. But the man part? You'll have to prove that too me." She gently pecked his lips, and nearly giggled when she saw his eyes darken.

"With pleasure." He stalked forward, and she participating in the chase game by slowly backing up, giving him a little smirk. He growled playfully and absentmindedly flicked his wand at the dishes.

"Don't worry," he said when she raised her eyebrows, "my other wand his better."

------

"Why didn't we make up sooner?" Hermione mumbled into Blaise's chest, quite out of breath. It vibrated and she could hear a chuckle. Now she knew what it meant to be snogged senseless.

They hurried out of the kitchen and began the trek back to their common rooms. Hermione nearly jumped when she felt his hand tentatively slide into hers. She looked up at him only to be caught in a dazzlingly smile...a smile he was smiling just because of her.

"You know Blaise, it's after curfew. I may have to put you in a detention," she teased.

He grinned. "Oh please Miss Prefect, do you think you could give me detention with this girl I really like?"

"I don't know. What's this girl like?"

"Oh, she's a know-it-all, a goodie goodie, always has to tell the truth, and she's a _Gryffindor_!" Blaise said, making a face. Hermione's jaw nearly dropped before she remembered they were joking.

"Well, that girl doesn't sound appealing."

Blaise smiled, acting very much the role of a love-struck teen."Oh, but she is. Her eyes light up when she's excited, she's very intelligent, and she gives a mean mud fight."

"Well now she sounds just lovely."

Blaise sighed. "But, there's just one thing wrong."

"Oh?"

"She's an awful kisser," he said sourly.

"What?!" Hermione cried out, stopping in her tracks.

Blaise turned at took her other hand in his, saying with roguish grin, "Yeah. Definitely needs more practice."

"Well, then this girl needs someone to practice with," Hermione said huffing in mock annoyance.

"Oh really? Who?"

"Yeah. There's this guy. He's all right. She sort of likes him. But he's a _Slytherin_."

"Only alright?" Blaise asked, sounding hopeful.

"Well, maybe he's better than only alright. He's got eyes like a sapphire and knows just what to say to rile her up, but she loves the thrill of it." She tried to hide a smile.

"Sounds like a pretty nice bloke."

"Indeed. But there's one thing wrong with him."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He's not helping the girl practice," she whispered, closing the small gap between them.

"I think," Blaise dropped his head, "maybe," Hermione raised up on tiptoe, "the guy can fix that." Their lips met in a tender kiss. Blaise pulled away, pulling on her lower lip as he did. They stayed still for a moment before Blaise grinned.

"So am I getting that detention tomorrow night?"

"We don't have to wait for detention..." Hermione said shyly. She still wasn't quite used to the idea of having Blaise as her... boyfriend?

"Excellent!" Blaise exclaimed, rubbing his hands together and waggling his eyebrows at her. "I'll ready the broom closet." She giggled, only to scream as he swooped her up and gave her sloppy, wet kisses.

She never thought she'd say this, but thank god for that detention!

**The End**

_A/N: Done! My first story ever done! And I've started a lot. Thanks for all the reviews guys, and once again sorry it took me so long to write this! Please, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated._


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